T-Mobile pumps $130M into network for 4G LTE, better coverage

Wireless carrier T-Mobile Puerto Rico announced Thursday the completion of a $130 million investment that called for modernizing its network for greater capacity and coverage, acquiring additional spectrum, and the deployment of 4G LTE technology.

The ambitious expansion and network optimization plan spanned just over one year, and included the purchase of 10MHz of spectrum to offer higher voice and data capacity. Meanwhile, the launch of 4G LTE allows customers to enjoy higher data speeds and currently covers 55 percent of the population, or 2 million island residents.

As of Thursday, customers in San Juan, Bayamón, Caguas, Carolina, Guaynabo, Trujillo Alto, Cataño, Ponce and Mayagüez, will have access to 4G LTE, which offers faster web browsing, downloads, and connection speeds, said Jorge Martel, vice president of T-Mobile Puerto Rico.

The company also announced the expansion of its signal coverage with 23 new cells in densely populated municipalities, which will allow increased capacity.

Late last year, the provider also launched an unlimited 4G Internet plan, which Martel said generated demand for T-Mobile’s services.

“We’ve had great growth with our unlimited 4G Internet rate, and with this new investment we further strengthen our network to ensure our customers have the best experience in wireless communication,” Martel said. “Furthermore, this investment reaffirms our commitment to boost the island’s economy of country.”

During a morning news conference, T-Mobile also announced the arrival of the Sony Xperia Z, a waterproof device that makes it convenient and practical for the summer season and Puerto Rico’s tropical climate. It will be available July 16.

The carrier also announced a new unlimited 4G LTE Internet plan that includes voice and text — as well as 500 MB to share the smartphone’s Internet connection with other devices, such as TVs and gaming consoles — for a flat rate of $69.99.